Follow these steps to extend your computer’s lifespan.

Until it slows to a crawl, idles, or crashes, you likely take for
granted that your laptop or desktop computer will do what you
expect it to. But it’s risky to overlook regular computer maintenance and even worse to be in the dark about whether your
backup system is functioning. The fact is your computer will give
out on you one day; you just don’t know when. The average useful life expectancy of today’s computers is anywhere from two to
five years, says Matthew Cohen, chief technologist for Clareity
Consulting, a real estate technology firm based in Scottsdale,
Ariz. But you’ll likely be able to increase the longevity of your
devices—and eke out perhaps seven or eight good years—by
following these tips. In short, a fast, fit, and trouble-free computer requires regular updates, cleanups, and backups.

Keeping It Clean

Your computer is probably covered with tiny dust particles,which can severely shorten its life span. “Dust is a killer,” saysBurton Kelso, owner and chief technology helper of IntegralComputer Consultants, a Kansas City, Mo., computer repaircompany. “When dust collects inside your technology, it cancause your devices to overheat, which will cause them to fail.”To beat back interior dust bunnies, Kelso recommends hisclients— 15 percent of whom are real estate agents—clean theinside of their computers once a year. If you’re not comfortablewith unscrewing the housing and zapping the inside with a canof compressed air, then hire a professional. The can costs lessthan $10, while professional help will set you back between $50and $100 per hour.

Aside from keeping mechanical parts of your computerclean, you should also pay attention to software clutter. Deleteprograms and applications you don’t use. Cohen suggests usingthe “add and remove software” feature to cull old files and pro-grams. “Always keep the hard drive at least 20 percent empty,”he adds. “If you have too much stu;, it’s time to upgrade yourhard drive, with technical help, or remove unneeded files.”Don’t install another program just to find out which programsto clean up. Cohen says practitioners should avoid utility appsthat promise to optimize or clean your computer. “They causemore harm than good,” he says.

Older computers used to benefit from defragmenting, which
basically compacted information on your hard drive, speeding
up your system. Cohen says most Windows defragmentation
utilities are set to run automatically. “However, sometimes, one
needs to analyze and defragment the discs,” he adds. To do
this, go to the Start menu, type “defragmenter,” and locate the
“disc defragmenter” utility. Mac users “generally don’t have to
defrag,” Cohen notes. “It does it on its own.” Finally, check your
preferences and examine which programs launch automatically